History Lesson
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Mentor Ji shows the Rangers picture of their parents back when they were the Samurai Rangers. Oneshot following Way of the Samurai.


_Disclaimer: I do not own anything_

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><p>All the blood was rushing to Emily's head, turning her face completely red as she hung upside down and giggled.<p>

"Antonio, put me down!"

Antonio shook his head. He was holding her up by the legs, his revenge for her distracting him from the Black Box. He had been working hard on it all day, and all the other agreed he needed to take the rest of the night off for his sake. They tried convincing him to rest but that didn't work. They tried warning him he would pass out from all the power he was using but Antonio was willing to risk it. Finally, they had no choice but to give Emily a couple of sugar cubes and send her into Antonio's room.

"Where did you hide the Black Box?" Antonio asked Emily. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. The Ape took it. I was just the distraction."

"Give me back the box," Antonio started bouncing Emily up and down but that only caused her to giggle more. The other Rangers watched. There was nothing else to do in the house so Antonio and Emily were their entertainment.

"Watch her head," Mia felt she had to warn Antonio. He was holding Emily up high enough so her head wasn't near the ground, but she was scared he was going to lose his grip and Emily would slip out of his arms and land head first on the hardwood floor.

"She's fine," Antonio said. He looked down at Emily, "Give up the Black Box."

"Never!" Emily giggled.

"Then you'll be hanging upside down forever," Antonio shrugged.

Mike leaned over to Kevin, "Dude, we just finished dinner and Antonio's holding her upside down. Technically, would it be throwing up, or throwing down?"

"Doesn't matter. You're cleaning it up," Kevin smirked.

"Why me?" Mike frowned. "You're the one who insisted we give her the second sugar cube. If she throws up, it's your fault."

"Put me down! I can't feel my head!" Emily giggled as she started to squirm. Antonio had to hold on a little tighter so he wouldn't accidentally drop her.

"Where's the box?" he asked. "C'mon, Em, I know you know where the ape hid it. Tell me and I'll let you down."

"A Samurai never gives up!" Emily chuckled, crossing her arms. "You'll never find it! Never!"

"Note to self:" Jayden smiled, "Emily's good at keeping secrets and hiding important secret weapons. This could be both good and bad for us."

"How long can you hang this way?" Antonio asked the yellow Ranger. "Are you the upside down champion or something?"

"You forget I was bullied," Emily said. "When I started high school the seniors used to do this to see how red my face would get and how long I could hold out before passing out. My record is red as a tomato and all of lunch period."

"That's sad," Antonio shook his head and then looked back up when he heard someone else walking into the common room. He saw it was Mentor Ji and the older man had a book in his hands.

"Rangers, have a seat," Mentor gestured to all the stools around the table. Emily grinned up at Antonio, knowing he now had to put her down and she could keep her secret on where her ape hid the Black Box. Antonio sighed and carefully laid Emily down.

"Fine, but I'll need the box again tomorrow," he told her as she laid on the ground for a minute, letting her body readjust to being in the proper position. He held out his hand to help her up and to her stool.

"Is this another history lesson?" Mike whined as he noticed the large book Mentor placed on the table. The thing he hated the most about Samurai training was the history lessons. They always bored him to tears.

"I noticed there was nothing else for you to do for the night, so I figured we would look at a little more Samurai history," Mentor nodded his head. "However, this history is a little more recent."

"How recent?" Mia asked. Mentor opened the book to the first page and spun it around so the Rangers could have a look. The five original Samurai smiled when they saw their parents' standing together in an old picture.

"I came across this book in my room," Mentor had a huge smile on his face as the memories flooded his mind. He had a strong connection with the current Rangers, but his very first Ranger team would always hold a very special place in his heart. "Seeing as there is nothing better to do, I assumed you would all enjoy learning about your parents and their time as Samurai Rangers."

"Duh," Mike smiled and he pointed to his father, "Mentor, you have to tell me what my dad was like."

"He was a lot like you, Mike," Mentor smiled. "He liked to challenge authority. It landed him in a lot of trouble, though. Trouble he couldn't always find his way out of. I had to discipline him time and time again."

"My dad got into trouble?" Mike asked. He had seen all sides of his father, but when it came to Samurai training Mike's father had always been strict and tough. He was always pushing Mike to work harder and be a better Samurai, just like Kevin. He had shown a clear hatred for Mike's slack attitude towards training, but never realised that the more he pushed Mike in one direction, the more Mike pushed the other.

"He wasn't one to take orders," Mentor Ji nodded. "Jayden's father or I would tell him to do something, and he would do the opposite. At times, I was sure he was doing it on purpose to irritate us."

"He must have driven my father crazy," Kevin commented. He turned the page and saw a picture of Mike's father's annoying the hell out of his own. His father had his arms crossed and was glaring at the former green Ranger with a look of disappointment and annoyance. Kevin knew his father was pissed off.

"He did," Mentor Ji chuckled. "Your father took his duties seriously. There was nothing more important to him that the Samurai way. Whenever he was awake he would be in the dojo training. He would only stop to eat or sleep. For the first couple of months he barely even socialized with the rest of the team."

"Thankfully you were never that bad," Mike chuckled as he nudged Kevin. The blue Ranger rolled his eyes at the green.

"My father taught me the importance of working as a team," he said.

Mentor nodded and turned the page, revealing another picture. It was still a picture of Kevin's and Mike's fathers, but this time they were hanging out together at the Shiba House. Kevin's father had a huge grin on his face, while Mike's father was soaking wet from head to toe. There was a smile tugging at the former green's lips but it seemed like he was trying his best to hide it.

"Your fathers brought out the best in each other once they learned to get along," Mentor smirked. "Kevin's father taught Mike's the power of discipline and proper training, and Mike's father taught Kevin's how to unwind and relax. By the time their duties came to an end, the blue and green Rangers had made themselves better Samurai and better people."

"So, what happened here?" Mike pointed to the picture. Jayden chuckled.

"Kevin's dad dumped a cooler of frozen water of your father's head," he told his green Ranger. "I remember watching from around the corner."

"Oh yeah, you met our parents," Mia smiled and she turned to Jayden. He had spent his entire life in the Shiba House, and her mother, as well as the other Rangers' parents, had lived in his home while they completed their duties as Samurai. Jayden nodded his head.

"Yeah, I met them a couple of times, but I didn't really get to know them. Mentor Ji and dad kept me busy by getting me started in my training. When I was five I already knew most of my Samurai history."

"Sucks for you, dude," Mike smirked. "By the time I was five…"

"You couldn't even ride a bike?" Kevin chuckled. Mike glared at the blue Ranger.

"I was going to say I held the kindergarten record for the longest nap."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Antonio laughed. Mike stuck out his tongue.

"I was a normal kid."

Mentor rolled his eyes at his Rangers before turning the page again. This time there was a picture of Kevin's father and Mia's mother. They were both sitting where Kevin and Mia sat now, on the stools around the common room table. By the looks of the photo, the Rangers assumed it was a candid picture of the former blue and pink Ranger listening to a Mentor Ji lecture.

"This should be interesting," Antonio smirked. Mia shot him a look.

"Why?"

"Well… because," Antonio shrugged his shoulders, "It's you and Kevin only… previous… you know…"

"Our parents were happily married to other people," Kevin reminded Antonio.

"Yeah but… whatever," Antonio crossed his arms and huffed, "let's just hear the story. What was Mia's mom like?"

"Like Kevin's father, Mia's mother was a hard worker," Mentor smiled. "The only different was that she didn't spend hours in the dojo. She was more social."

"Everyone's more social than Kevin's father was," Jayden chuckled before a look from Kevin shut him up.

"Mia's mother was always the voice of reason. I think it helped that she never broke contact with her husband and she had the opportunity to escape the Samurai life every once in a while," Mentor started. He looked to Mia, "She was the glue that kept the team together."

"Not a huge difference there," Mike said.

"She broke up fights, lifted spirits, and encouraged the team… She was the heart and soul."

"Mother Pink?" Antonio asked.

Mentor continued, "Right from the start she brought out the best in everyone; myself included. She reminded the Rangers why they needed to fight and refused to give up, no matter how difficult things got."

Mentor Ji turned the page, showing the Rangers a picture of Mia's mother comforting Mike's dad. The green Ranger looked enraged over something that had happened before the picture was taken while the pink Ranger had a soft, kind look on her face. If both Rangers were anything like their children were now, it was only a matter of time before Mike's father calmed down.

"Okay, so we have the jokester, the serious one, the glue," Antonio listed the Rangers off, "What about Emily's mom?"

"You've all met Serena," Mentor Ji chuckled. He turned the page again, revealing a picture of Emily's mom. "Emily's mother was exactly like Serena was now. No one threatened her team and got away with it."

"My mom always knows what's best," Emily nodded her head. "And she'll fight until she gets it. When she heard Serena only had a few years left, she insisted Serena come home. The doctors didn't agree but when my mom thinks she knows best…"

"She got her way?" Jayden asked.

"Serena was hospitalized from home for the last couple of years," Emily nodded. She turned to Mentor, "What about Jayden's dad?"

"A strong leader," Jayden smiled proudly. "He did everything he could for his team. No matter what danger they faced, his only goal was them coming out alive. He knew your parents had families to go home to and he wanted to make sure that happened."

Mike continued to flip through the pages of the book. He looked at all the pictures.

"Things seemed very different back then," he glanced up at Mentor Ji. "I mean, everyone's hanging out in these pictures, but they don't seem… close. They look like they're just friends because they have to be."

"I have never seen a team bond like the six of you," Mentor nodded his head slowly. "As you know, your parents do occasionally keep in contact, but once their duties were done, the friendships they built began to fade. Whatever connections they had made to each other wasn't strong enough to survive distance. It is unfortunate. At times your parents could be the best of friends."

"They already had families," Antonio shrugged. Mentor and the other Rangers looked at him curiously. He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, what? You guys were all born when they came here. They weren't growing up like we are. They were grown. They had their friends and their families back home. They didn't need anything else."

"We have friends and family back home," Mike answered.

"Yeah but…" Antonio looked around the room, "I don't know… I haven't been here as long as the rest of you but… to me, this place feels like home. You guys are my family."

Jayden nodded his head, "For the longest time it's just been Mentor Ji and me living in this house. It was comfortable but… when you guys turned up, this place suddenly felt more like a home and less like… an Academy."

Mentor turned to the last few pages of the picture book and he began pulling out pictures and handing them around the table. The Rangers smiled at the pictures they held in their hands. It was the moment they were first reunited with their parents after Jayden's father sealed Master Xandred away temporarily. Almost a full year after leaving, the former Rangers were back home with their families. Tears were in the parents' eyes while smiles stretched from ear to ear. None of the other pictures showed the former Rangers as happy as they were now.

"Your parents fought for you," Mentor explained. "Their children were all they cared for. Creating a safe home. In the end, nothing else mattered. Once reunited with their families, they parted ways and the Samurai Team was no more."

"They bonded over a common goal," Mia said as she realised what Mentor was trying to get at. "They just wanted to come home to us."

"We don't have kids to go home to," Kevin added. "I mean, we have families but… they're our parents. We were going to leave them someday to start our own family… is that…?"

"What I was trying to say," Antonio chuckled and nodded his head. "I mean, we're a weird family but…"

"Aren't they all weird?" Mike asked. He then reached over and snatched Emily's picture from her hands. "Now what did little Emily look like?"

"Mike! Give it back!"

"Mike," Mia said to the green Ranger in a scolding tone, but suddenly her face softened and she ripped the picture from Mike's hands, "I want to see too."

"Hey! No!" Emily tried to reach for her picture but Mike pushed her back. She huffed and when he was distracted by her picture she took his from his hand. Mike's eyes widened.

"No! Come on, that's not cool."

"Eye for an eye," Emily teased, waving the picture around before getting a good look at it. "Aw, Mike! You were adorable!"

"Same could be said for you," Mike pointed to Emily's picture in Mia's hands. Emily turned to Mia and saw the pink Ranger had a look of complete awe on her face.

"Emy!" she cooed, smiling at the picture, "you were so cute when you were a baby!"

With Mia so distracted, Kevin couldn't help but sneak a glance of her as a child. He slipped her picture from her hands and looked at it.

"Mia in pigtails!" he called out chuckling and Mia's eyes widened. Her face turned pink and she tried to get the picture back from Kevin.

"Hey!"

"Revenge!" Emily giggled. "Thank you, Kevin!"

Kevin chuckled with his little sister before he felt his picture sliding out of his hand. He turned and saw Antonio staring at the photo.

"I have a baby picture of Kevin!" Antonio waved the picture around and Mia jumped up to snatch it. She giggle when she saw the picture.

"Aw, Kevin! You were all dressed up for when daddy came home?"

"I had to look good," it was Kevin's turn to blush. "I hadn't seen him in almost a year."

"Mine," Mia chuckled as she held the photo out of Kevin's reach. He pouted at his fiancée before remembering he could do the same.

"Fine then," he tucked her picture in his pocket neatly, "This is mine."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Well, if we're keeping picture, I've got to keep this one," Antonio was glancing over Jayden's shoulder, unbeknownst to the red Ranger until his picture was pulled from his hands. "It's a picture of little Jayden and a young Mentor!"

Jayden and Mentor's eyes both widened.

"Antonio, don't you dare…" Jayden warned his best friend. Antonio couldn't resist. He showed the picture to the rest of the Rangers.

"Little Jayden and Mentor!" he laughed until he was tackled to the ground by Jayden.

"Don't show them that!"

"What? The fearless leader can't let his teammates know he was cute as a button?" Antonio teased his best friend.

"Jayden's not so tough now, huh?" Mike chuckled as Antonio flashed him the picture again. "I could take little Jayden out in three seconds flat."

"I doubt it," Emily giggled as she looked down at Mike's picture once again. "You were small when you were… well, little."

"Says Emily," Mike held up the picture of Emily, Serena and her mother. "I think I need a magnifying glass to see you."

"The one lie Serena told me," Emily huffed. "She said eating my vegetables would help me grow."

"Didn't happen," Mike laughed. Emily pouted and shot a glare at her boyfriend. He stuck his tongue out playfully.

"You were all adorable," Mentor Ji chuckled as he gathered up the photo album. He put it away on the shelf so the Rangers could look through it at any time. "And your parents did the right thing. Fighting to keep the next generation safe was all they could hope to do. It is a heavy burden, but the fate of the world is in your hands, Rangers. I know you won't disappoint your parents."


End file.
